BRIEFING DOCUMENT January 2024 - ONLINE and international TRADE IN LIVE CHEETAHS

BRIEFING DOCUMENT January 2024 ONLINE and international TRADE IN LIVE CHEETAHS OVERVIEW A six-month survey undertaken by TRAFFIC investigating the online trade in live cheetahs between October 2022 and March 2023 to determine if any notable changes have reaffirms the use of the internet to trade occurred or if new trade dynamics have in or display ownership of live cheetahs as emerged. [...] The Cheetah is Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of now only found in Threatened Species, cheetahs are classified The proliferation of the use of the internet 9% of their as Vulnerable to extinction, and only 6,500 to trade in live cheetahs has been a subject historical mature individuals are estimated to remain of growing concern in recent years. [...] Cheetahs are also listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), prohibiting the international trade in wild-caught cheetah specimens for commercial purposes, except for METHODS a subset of previously analysis of the CITES Trade collected URLs were 1 2 3 Database for international trade in gathered live cheetahs between 1975-202. [...] The following information from the two datasets for subsequent analysis was recorded: • The URL • Whether the URL was linked to a user’s profile or a post • Whether the URL was publicly accessible (i.e., no privacy settings) • The year the post was listed or the year of the most recent post involving a live cheetah • Country/territory where the cheetah or user was located, as indicated by the user. [...] ANALYSE BIRTHS AND TRADE IN Investigation and analysis of reported births, exports and imports of live cheetahs in the International Cheetah Studbook CHEETAHS EMPLOY TARGETED SOCIAL AND Better awareness and targeted behavioural change communications about the illegal trade of live cheetahs and relevant laws and regulations governing the trade and BEHAVIOURAL ownership of live cheetahs.